


My Beautiful Contradiction

by LadyofHuntingandHobbits



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mind Control, Mind Games, Not Mary Sue, OFC-Morgan, SHIELD agents - Freeform, Telepathy, Torture, mind tampering, past trauma, trust me you'll like her, what REALLY happened to Loki before the Avengers movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-27
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2017-12-03 20:25:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/702299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyofHuntingandHobbits/pseuds/LadyofHuntingandHobbits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgan lives without hope. Without fear. Without belonging. When Loki literally falls on her doorstep, she has no idea how to react. Two broken souls can meld into one, but only if you let them. And later, can she save him when he needs it the most?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Surprise Visit

**Author's Note:**

> As much as I generally hate reading OC fics, they are _so much fun_ to write. I have to admit that I had a ball with Morgan. She is probably one of my favorite original characters to write with, and that is why I love writing OC fics in the first place. She is snarky and strong and passionate, and a great match for Loki. I hope you like her!

Morgan woke up to a blaring alarm clock, and her head greeting her with a beautiful hangover. What was that? Oh yeah, maybe she shouldn't have drunk so much last night. Again. Such was the life of a girl who had been left by her asshole of a fiancé and, working as a freelance writer, wasn't exactly on her feet financially. She figured that it might as well be worthwhile to get up and make some coffee. 

She made sure to shut the blinds on her way to the kitchen.

After sitting down on the couch in her small, somewhat shabby apartment, she tried not to think of her ex. Everyone had told her he was trouble, but trouble was what she liked. Always had. She hated when things were no longer interesting. 

Probably had something to do with her being a telepath. She chuckled. _Everything has to do with me being a telepath. Stupid mind powers._ It was why everyone left. Parents, boyfriends, friends in general, everyone. It was only a matter of time till they found out, flipped out, and left her. She guessed that made it easier in the end, what with the various governments and agencies chasing her down. Nothing was ever simple when it came to Morgan. She figured it was about time she got used to it.

* * *

Relaxation only came every once in a while, and it was something hard fought. Morgan had to literally combat her powers to ‘sit down and shut up’ long enough for her to calm down and collect herself.

It was the only time she realized that her sanity was increasingly fragile. Meditation helped, from what little she could tell from experimenting with it. No music, no writing, no memories, no hearing people’s thoughts. Just letting her walls fall down, not even caring if someone detected her; not even thinking at all. That was the closest she ever got to peace. 

Her fragment of tranquility was shattered as something slammed into her door with a loud _thud_ that rattled her whole wall. It took Morgan a minute to gather her faculties and even manage to get a grasp on the situation enough to figure out what to do. Of course, by that time her reflexes had already picked her up and had her standing in front of the door, throwing knives in both hands and ready to strike. It was startling what years of being hunted would do.

Morgan reached out with her mind to figure out what/who had startled her. She hit a wall. Seriously. She couldn’t tell if it was even male or female. The only thing she did know was that it wasn’t human, the walls were of foreign nature and too strong for humans (besides herself) to keep intact. 

She went against her better judgment and opened the door, taking down her mental alarms and barriers that were designed to keep assassins -and pretty much everyone else- out. It was a very risky move but it was the only way to get answers.

Lying there, on her doorstep, was a young man -about Morgan’s age- wearing black and green. Oh yeah, and he was unconscious. That’s just what Morgan needed; an unconscious (not human) man that scared the mess out of her when he landed in front of her door and she had no idea what to do with. Well, she at least needed to get him inside, in order to not attract attention.

* * *

When he woke up tied to a chair and facing Morgan, who was sitting nonchalantly on the couch, he was obviously a little startled. She could tell he was gathering his thoughts and figuring out how exactly he came to be in this situation. He looked up and caught her gaze, unflinching. They analyzed each other intently, neither one being able to slip past the other’s defenses. The walls were simply too strong. 

Finally Morgan spoke, “Who the hell are you?”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I asked you who you were. It’s a simple question,” She remarked. 

“I am Loki, of Asgard.” He said it without emotion, his face blank. Like he took no pride in it. It certainly did not escape her notice. Asgard? Loki? That was Norse Mythology, but she could hear the honesty in his voice. And looking at him now, she knew it was the truth. This was certainly no human, he was a god.

Of course, she didn't want him to know that she had figured him out.

“That’s ridiculous. You really expect me to believe that?”

“Of course” He looked slightly surprised that she had not accepted his statement.

“How do I know you’re not some highly-trained assassin with excellent lying skills and mental defenses like you wouldn’t believe?” She countered.

He stared at her, disbelieving. “I am no mortal. Do not discredit me by affiliating me with one of your human enemies.” He thought for a moment, looking at her emotionless face, and then said “What would it take for me to convince you?”

“Show me.”

“You don’t want me to do that.” His tone was completely serious.

Morgan arched an eyebrow. “And why not?”

He stared at her darkly, as if daring her to question him again. 

She smiled inwardly, once again enjoying a challenge. “We can sit here and try to breach each other’s walls, as we have been doing during this entire conversation, and still get nowhere, or you can let me in and I will see whether you are telling the truth. Then we will decide if I should let you stay, or kill you.”

He chuckled, “That is not very likely.”

She grinned, defiant as always. “Try me.”

Almost immediately he dropped his defenses and attacked, with one phrase being carried forward: “I am the god of mischief, magic, and lies. You cannot kill me, mortal.”

Morgan used his anger and agitation as a diversion for her to slip around, and drove into his memories, wanting to know as much about why he was here as she could. Nothing was safe from her prying mind, not even emotions. 

He sat back, shocked at her intrusion. It was clear from his expression that he had never met anyone so bold.

What Morgan saw shocked her. He really was Loki, a god from Asgard. That had been obvious before. But what shocked her was the pain he harbored. He had been the second-best, the one left behind. Always living in the shadow of the one he loved above all; his brother Thor. But everything had changed when Thor had been banished to Earth, and Loki had discovered his true parentage: Laufey, a Frost Giant.

Loki hated himself.

This realization caused Morgan to extract herself from his mind. She was shocked at the position she was in, leaning over him in his chair and hands placed on either side of his head. He was staring at her in disbelief, eyes wide. “What did you see?” he asked shakily. 

She gathered her composure and attitude as quickly as possible. She picked up one of her knives and cut the restraints slowly, never taking her eyes off him. She wanted to keep him guessing for as long as possible. 

Reaching over to hover beside his ear, she whispered “You seem pretty tired from your fall off the Bifrost. I suggest you get some rest.” She pulled back and smiled sweetly, turning on her heel and sauntering back to her room. She felt his eyes on her back the entire way.


	2. Playing Chess

When Morgan woke up, it took her exactly 6.8 seconds to remember what had happened the night before. _I have a Norse god with emotional issues sitting in my living room. Right. Simple._ Well, at least he knew of her powers now. That's one less awkward conversation.

She walked into the room, finding him sitting exactly where he had been before. He was awake and obviously watching her every move. She decided to play it cool, walking over to make some coffee. And, of course, he kept staring after her.

"So, you sat there all night?"

"Yes."

"Intend on moving? I have some coffee going if you'd like some."

"I'm fine."

Oh, so he was intent on playing nonchalant and distanced? Well too bad, she was already intent on doing that. Two really _can_ play at that game.

"Fine?" she questioned, sounding innocent.

"I do believe that is what I said." It was obvious he did not enjoy her games.

She circled back around until she was standing in front of his chair, and cocked her head to the side. "I am aware that's what you said, but is it what you meant?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Why do you care?"

She sighed softly, looking back through memories. "Because I know what it's like to be rejected and abandoned." Wait, where was the cool attitude she was going to project? Ugh, what she had seen had gotten to her after all.

"Would you like me to list them for you? You aren't the only one who gained memory access to the other." That caught her slightly by surprise. Just how much had he seen?

Well, one thing was obvious. They both like toying with emotions and mental structures, manipulating, and playing mind games. _This just might be fun._

She smiled coyly and began walking back to her room. "Coffee's in the kitchen," she tossed back over her shoulder. 

"Morgan." She froze. "Thank you for letting me stay here." 

Fun, that is, until we start being honest with each other. 

* * *

They didn't speak for a long time, once she came back into the room with her computer. Morgan was writing; Loki was thinking. No one really wanted to break the silence. It was strangely peaceful. Peace was something they were both pretty foreign too, so it was preserved as long as possible. 

Finally Loki asked her a question. "What exactly are you doing?" 

"Writing." 

He furrowed his brow. "Writing what?" 

"My book." Her answers were curt, but not too sharp. 

"What kind of book?" 

She couldn't tell if he was trying to make conversation or genuinely curious. She turned to face him, expression slightly snappish. "I'm a writer, it's what I do. I write. I sell them to publishing companies, who give me money and royalties in return. It's not much, not with the popularity of my work. But I make enough to get by. That's all that matters." 

Loki was curious. " 'Get by?' I'm not familiar with this term." 

Morgan's response was bitter and harsh. "No, I wouldn't think so. It's hard being a prince, isn't it? To never have to worry about paying bills or buying food or where your money comes from. To never have to earn a living." 

"Don't judge me, Morgan. Just because I am from a different world and social status does not mean you understand where I come from." 

She made no response, only resumed typing. 

* * *

Morgan tried to think while she was writing. She had no idea what she was doing anymore. What was she supposed to do with Loki? Kick him out? Get to know him? Be nice? Beat him at chess? For that's what their relationship (if she could even call it that) felt like at times: a massive game of chess. Each look, gesture, and sentence was a move. A play for the upper hand. A vie for power. And yet, they were almost always equal. 

The only thing she knew was that it was never boring. They were learning boundaries and personalities, dislikes and interests. It was a beautiful mess. A chess game. 

* * *

Loki took a moment to ponder what had occurred since he had met Morgan O'Connor. 

The few days after he had fallen from the Bifrost were still hazy in his mind. He remembered a significant sensation of falling, and thinking that it would never end. The next thing he remembered was waking up on the street, obviously very early in the morning when most people were still in their homes. He stumbled for a few –what was it, days?- being guided by nothing whatsoever. 

Then, almost out of nowhere, he felt an overwhelming force drawing him. He now knew it to be Morgan, but then all his crazed and exhausted mind could register it as was unrestrained power being let out, drawing him in. 

The first time he saw Morgan, he was tied to a chair with her facing him, interrogation-style. She manipulated him into being aggressive, and then slipped her way into his mind, seeing memories and more. Her intrusion had shocked him, but he was almost surprised she did not attempt to force her way into his mind. 

She was tricky, sneaky. She was also mentally unstable (as were most, even gods, with the level of her power) and scheming, with that extra-dangerous dose of calculating. 

And he was the god of Mischief. Loki figured that they would either get along, or kill each other. 

* * *

His staring was starting to wear on her nerves. "You know, If you have questions, you can ask me. You don't have to stare or keep poking at my mind," Morgan quipped. "It's quite rude." 

Loki gave a half-hearted grin. "I don't mean to pry." 

"Well, considering I have no idea how long you will be staying and barely know anything about you, I think it's time we got to know each other." Her voice was edged, yet… tentative. She shut her computer with a defined _snap_ and leaned forward to rest her forearms on her thighs, fingers laced together. "So, tell me 'bout yourself," she drawled, _"Loki."_

"That depends on what you don't already know." 

She smiled, slowly and almost predatorily. "Guess." 

"I never guess." 

"Fine then. Tell me about your family." 

He tensed visibly. She had hit a nerve, as expected. He glared at her, knowing she had purposefully thrown a hypothetical knife at him. "No," he said sharply. 

"Really?" she said, trying to sound innocent. "Not even Thor?" She twisted the knife, burying it further. 

Loki had had quite enough. He leaped across the table separating them, startling Morgan and kicking in her reflexes. She was around the couch and edging towards the door when he caught her. She was fast, but Loki was faster. 

She blinked and he had her flipped around, then backed her up against the wall. She gasped, panicking but unable to move. He pinned her wrists to the wall above her head and leaned in towards her face, expression razor sharp. 

"Don't." 

Her eyes widened in surprise. His voice had not come from where she expected, the body currently pinning her to the wall. It had come from the middle of the room. 

The shade in front of her disappeared and she could see where Loki was truly standing, where his voice had actually come from. A word crossed her mind. _Magic._ She could only stare in shock. 

"Don't toy with me, Morgan O'Connor. You may not like the outcome." 


	3. Watch Me

Morgan blinked. Wow, this guy was a trip. Magic… well, he was the god of mischief and magic. It fit.

It definitely went on her list of weird things that had happened to her, though.

She sighed. Might as well get over the awkward ground-rules confrontation sooner before later. And she resolved herself to keep her mental shields at maximum.

She stalked up to him (you know- the real one) and stood with her hands on her hips. "Let's get some things straight," she started, "You are in  _my world_ and in  _my house_. You should be the one watching your step, not me. I don't care that you're a god. You want some respect, you're going to have to earn it." Coming up into his personal space, she whispered "And you don't get it by trying to frighten me with your powers. I promise, I've seen worse than you. You don't faze me. And if you want to;" she added with a smirk, "try harder."

Loki hadn't moved throughout her entire discourse. His eyes were dark with something Morgan was pretty sure wasn't anger. He then proceeded to wipe the smirk right off her face by grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her into a rough, demanding kiss, the likes of which she hadn't had in… well…  _ever._  It left her breathless in a way she didn't want to admit. When he pulled back- completely composed and grinning, the bastard- and whispered sensually in her ear, "Watch me."

The words were issued as a command that had her thinking of him slowly stripping before her and rumpled bedsheets and  _whoa whoa wait where did that come from?_  Loki moved away, his gaze darkened by the images no doubt his mind had picked up through their close contact (she was probably projecting, as well), while his grin deepened at the knowledge of what he could do to her with only a whispered phrase. He walked away, leaving her still in shock in the middle of the room.

It took her a few minutes to realize that he was referring to her earlier challenge to faze her. He had pretty well succeeded there.

* * *

After shutting herself in her room for the night and almost the full next day to avoid the inevitable awkward silence, Morgan decided to bite the bullet and face him. What she walked out and saw was yet another surprise.

Loki stood before her, not in the regal armor he arrived in or the clothing beneath them that he had been going about in since, but a pair of sweatpants. They used to belong to Chase (the asshole of a fiancé that had left her way back when) but she had never gotten around to getting rid of them. Seriously though, that's  _all he was wearing_ , she could tell from here. She could also smell- was that bacon?

His back was turned to her and therefore he missed her initial shock (and her ogling his bare back, but really, what's a girl to do?) and gave Morgan a minute or so to compose herself and throw her shields back up before she announced her presence with a cough.

Loki spun around to greet her, a plate of eggs and bacon in each of his hands. "Hungry?" he asked, with a devilish smile.

_Well this is an interesting turn of events. First he kisses me, now he's making me breakfast?_ She took the plate warily and sat down at her table to eat. When he joined her, she arched and eyebrow and asked "So what's this about?"

"What's what about?"

She motioned to her plate with her hand, to then to his chest with a pointed stare he couldn't have missed. " _This."_

"You didn't eat last night, and I needed something else to wear." She shrugged. She doubted she could get much out of him anyway and hey, at least she got breakfast and a nice view. She could find another way to get her answers later. Being a telepath had its perks.

As tempting as it was to let Loki stroll about her apartment with no shirt (or much of anything else, really), Morgan found some old clothes that she thought would fit him and laid it out on the couch before starting work on her book. A few hours later she was pleased (and totally  _not_  mourning the miles of skin now blocked from her view) to find him wearing the sensible outfit.

* * *

Their relative peace (surprisingly tension-free, considering all that had happened) was set to be ruined the second they stepped out of her apartment. Morgan decided it was time for a food run, and that she might as well pick up some clothes for the god staying with her for an undetermined period. She insisted on going out alone, but it's not like Loki was going to listen. He very obviously followed her out, enough so that she waited for him to catch up so people wouldn't get suspicious of the ridiculously tall, rather foreboding man following her around.

It was the other foreboding men following her that she should have been worried about.

Bounty hunters were not unfamiliar to Morgan. She had a long history of running from those who wished to exploit her and abuse her powers. Governments, agencies, even certain companies and influential individuals would willingly snatch her up. And for a large price, as well. A telepath, especially one of her caliber, was a very rare thing. Therefore: bounty hunter problems.

Which is why she tried as hard as she could to stay under the radar. She published under a pseudonym, had multiple passports and credit cards under assumed names, and could forge an official document with the best of them. These skills were remnants from another time, when she was on the run and fresh out of the experimentation facility- but that's not something to think about now.

The sudden shift in her perception of the people around her alerted Morgan that something was about to happen. She quickly started looking around to identify her targets, which no doubt already were closing in on her.

Knowing it was unwise to single out Loki as with her by speaking directly to him, she nudged him with her mind.  _"Be prepared for an attack, okay? I think there is a group of bounty hunters following us. They're here for me; they probably don't have any idea who you are. Stay hidden. I can handle this."_

" _Like I would ever let them touch you,"_ he threw back. That caught Morgan off guard, though she made no outward sign, only resumed walking. Why the hell is he getting protective over her? She can handle herself, like she told him.

He must have felt her confusion and indignance. " _Well, what is your plan of attack, then?"_

She most certainly did not mentally huff at that. " _I am leading them away from the city so I can wipe their minds and get away without being noticed."_

" _And don't mock me,"_ She added with a (albeit mental) scowl.

" _As you are the one with the experience with these brutes, I will defer to you" he pushed at her, "but do not forget my powers, as I am well-trained in combat._  Don't _expect me to stand here and do nothing."_ She knew that this came from years of being pushed to the back as Thor went out and conquered and made a name for himself, while Loki was forced to remain in the shadows. Still, think about how much more danger he could put them in by exposing his powers.

" _No, you're to stand there and look pretty. Think of how much attention you would draw by throwing icicles and creating shades to trip them up. Also, they would know I had help, powerful help too, and it would send others after us. "_

Now it was his turn to scowl. Before he could reply, she tossed out  _"You're ruining my focus, they could be halfway upon us by now, and I still have yet to find out their weapons and intent."_

But it was too late.

Apparently these guys were smart; they had studied her methods and had been prepared for her. She and Loki walked straight into a trap.

The second she felt the trap wire break, she froze.  _Damn it._ All these years of running, and for what? To get distracted by a MAN, no matter if he is a god or not, a MAN who put her on the edge of her seat and both calmed and thrilled her, who had distracted her with their shockingly easy banter enough for her to miss every goddamn sign that had put them in this trap in the first place.

_Well, as long as I'm going out, at least I'm going out with him…_

She opened her eyes to find Loki staring into them, bright with determination. His meaning was clear.

_Let's raise some hell._


	4. Ambush

Then everything dissolved into chaos, with the bounty hunters rushing in, weapons drawn, and Loki and Morgan fighting for their lives. She cast out her mind and latched onto the nearest mind and wiping it clean- she usually only went six months of memory deep, so that they would not remember their orders but could still move on with their lives. Besides, a total mind sweep just took too long. Then she left a suggestion for them to go home. Enemy eliminated.

However, this process took concentration and time, both of which she didn't have a lot of right now. Having time meant being able to do things clean. No loose ends or corpses.

Loki must have caught on to her train of thought.  _"We don't have time to be clean right now!"_ He shouted into her head.

" _We don't have a choice!"_ She shouted back.  _"I am NOT leaving a trail of bodies behind us! That is the fastest way to get us tracked down and killed!"_  She was dodging blows, and dealing her own, enough to debilitate but not permanently injure. She threw in an extra spike of mental pain to keep them down. But still, they just kept coming.

She locked eyes with Loki again, expressing her panic. He sent her the command,  _"Give me an enemy count."_ She did a large sweep, counting minds. Five… ten, eleven, twelve… fifteen… nineteen, twenty… twenty five… thirty. Thirty bounty hunters, not including herself or Loki.

" _Damn it, Loki! There's too many!"_

" _Not if you have me."_

" _What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"_ They were being backed into a corner as they frantically conversed. Running out of time they never really had in the first place.

" _I'm a god, remember?"_

" _You pick a fine time to remind me!"_

" _You need to focus. Concentrate. Freeze them in place for a few seconds and I will get us out of here."_

How the hell was he so calm right now? And how was she supposed to freeze thirty people? She had never even frozen one! And in the middle of a battle! Who did he think she was, Professor X?

" _I can't, Loki. I'm not that powerful."_

" _Yes, you are. You have no idea how powerful you are. Even if you can't see it, I can and I will help you access it. Just concentrate. I will hold them off."_

Morgan moved to get behind him, deciding that she had no choice but to trust him. Loki had produced twin blades of what looked like solid ice and was fending off attacks.

She closed her eyes and shut out as much noise as she could. Breathe in, breathe out. She reached out and placed a foothold in the minds she could reach first. Five, ten… fifteen… she got to twenty-three before her holds started to slip. And this was just touching them, not altering or freezing them.

" _Loki, I can't keep track of them all! I'm slipping…"_

" _Focus! You have seven more! We don't have time for your doubts. I know you can do this. I believe in you"_

He… he believed in her? She couldn't even believe in herself.  _Get it together, O' Connor. Like he said, we don't have time._

She pushed out again, surging out and grabbing hold of the last seven minds. She reached deeper until she had a firm grasp. Her hands were shaking but she refused to falter. Refused to let Loki down.

" _Now, Morgan. Freeze them."_

 _Here goes nothing._ She sent out a shock wave, freezing them and wiping their surface thoughts. The shock was strong enough to keep them in place for up to five minutes. It wasn't painful for her, just strange. Like standing and stretching after not moving for hours. A strange, good kind of stretch. The last time she had done something this difficult… it wasn't exactly by her own choice.

Morgan felt her knees getting weak and her entire body trembling. Loki came behind her and supported her waist to keep her from collapsing. Her eyes were still closed and she leaned her head back on his shoulder, whispering "Thank you."

He chuckled softly. "Oh, we're not out of the woods yet. Your shock will only keep them there a few more minutes. We need to move."

Morgan was about to reply when he scooped her up bridal-style and started weaving between their would-be attackers.  _"Morgan,"_ he nudged her mentally.  _"We're not quite finished yet. You were right, they will come after us once they know how much of a threat we are."_

She opened her eyes and looked up at her in surprise. Was he actually agreeing with her?

"But only," he added with a smile, "If they remember us."

Morgan blinked in shock. He wanted her to do more? "Loki, I'm spent," she sighed. "I can't even walk."

"I'm not asking you to walk. You need to erase the last 15 minutes from their minds so they won't remember us or the attack. You already have a foothold in each of their minds, correct?"

He had a point. This was more in line with her usual methods. No loose ends. A clean break.

"Yes," she answered hoarsely. She had shut her eyes again, trying to feel around the stretch in her mind.

He put her down gently, but still kept an arm around her waist to keep her upright. "You can do this," Loki whispered. "Look at what you have already done. Open your eyes"

Morgan opened her eyes to see a crowd of frozen men, all poised forward in attack. It was surreal.  _I did that._

"This may take a while. It's an individual sweep, not a shock pulse," she said, gaining confidence.

"Go for it."

She used the reassuring weight of him pressed against her back as an anchor before pressing out. One by one, she erased the previous 15 minutes from their minds. Before hopping to the next mind, she also took their orders and awareness of where they were, leaving her usual message of "go home." No loose ends.

By the 15th bounty hunter, Morgan was reaching her limits again. Her flair of confidence was wearing off, and the pain was back. Her vision was becoming splotchy and Loki had to take on more of her weight to keep her standing.

"Loki, my strength is fading. I won't be able to finish in time for us to leave."

"Keep going. I can help with your pain." He pressed a hand to the side of her head and Morgan felt him spread an icy cold through her. It was numbing and gave her a sense of calm. Not permanent, but what she needed.

She finished her work with a sigh of relief. "It's over. We can go home."

"Excellent," he replied. "Now sleep."

Morgan felt a cold hand pressed to her forehead before she lost consciousness.


	5. No More Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here comes the happy stuff!

_The air was choking her. No, wait, that was the gag. Or the fear. Or the pain in her chest from being beaten. It didn't matter, she couldn't breathe._

_A light was shined in her eyes, checking pupil dilation. Someone then came to drag her away, back to the cold darkness of her cell. Back to where she couldn't breathe._

_Pain. Endless pain._

_She was being yelled at, but her head couldn't take it anymore. She really had no idea what was wrong with her, how to control it, or how to really use it. She had nothing to give them, and they had nothing to give her. Only pain._

_The fist connected with her temple first, before moving down to her jaw. Just another day in captivity and no answers to give to those who wanted them._

_She was choking._

* * *

Morgan woke, screaming. It was dark and she could barely see anything. Her senses told her she was safe in her mundane, quiet apartment (now also inhabited by a god but that wasn't the point) but her mind was still trapped in that state of terror and agony. She started shaking, and her mind started thrashing around involuntarily, even making some of the items in her room shake.

Suddenly a cold mind was pressing against her own, sheltering but not imprisoning it. She instantly recoiled, much like a wounded animal, but it was insistent. Arms wrapped around her, restraining but not confining. She fought again, but something she couldn't understand was muttered and she slipped back into a dreamless sleep, watched over carefully.

Morgan opened her eyes a crack.  _What happened last night?_  Her head was killing her, and her whole body ached. Everything felt stretched and loose, like after a long run.

Bright light filtered in through her bedroom window. How long had she been asleep? The last thing she remembered…  _Oh._

_Oh shit. Did I really do all that?_ And then she remembered something  _else_ that had happened last night.

She had been in the middle of another nightmare.  _Perhaps it was a dream, another delusion like the ones they used to send me at the camp…_

But someone had saved her from it. That was certainly a first. She turned her head to find Loki sitting beside her bed, watching her. She found no emotion in his face, nor could she detect anything mentally that he was willing for her to see. He was blank.

She could only think of one thing to say. "Why?" Her voice broke at the end.

"Why what?" He replied, obviously determined to make her articulate all the tumbled thoughts and emotions going around in her head.

"Why did you save me?" She whispered. "Why did you save me from my own mind?"

"You were trapped. And scared. I couldn't leave you like that."

She tilted her head. "Yes, you could have. Why didn't you?"

"Because I know what it's like to be trapped and alone."

She sat and thought of that, unsure of what to say. Sometimes she got so caught up in the closeness of Loki that she let herself temporarily forget the he was a god, possibly thousands of years old, and sitting on her bed like any other person. What had happened to him? What did she not know?

What had her initial intrusion not shown- who else had brought him pain?

"Where were you? In the dream," he said, interrupting her from her thoughts.

Morgan sighed. "Experimental facility. They wanted my powers, or to turn me into their brainwashed pawn."

Loki dared to crack a small smile. "And I am guessing it didn't work."

She smiled back. "No, it did not." Her smile fell. "But I will never forget it."

"As you shouldn't. It helped you become who you are today."

"It  _broke_ me, Loki. I've been trying to forget it since the day I escaped."

A shadow crossed over his face for a moment, and she glimpsed seething anger that rocked her back on her heels. She could sense that anger, but it was anger  _for_ her. Not  _at_ her, but at what had happened to her. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe.

He reached out and laid a hand on her arm, leaning slightly over her and staring into her eyes. "They had no right to do that to you," he said intently. "No one does. You belong to no one, Morgan, unless it is by your own choice."

Morgan could hear his words echoing in her head. No one had ever said anything close to that to her before. She had always been treated as an object, a tool to be used by people above her.

She sat blinking at him for a moment. He was still hovering over her, hand on her arm and face dangerously close to hers. Morgan took in a shaky breath when she realized just  _how_ close.

"Loki…" she whispered softly.

He shushed her before sealing his mouth over hers, gentler than she had ever seen him. Morgan let her eyes fall shut as she gave into whatever it was between them, letting her instincts guide her. Loki moved the hand on her arm behind her head, cradling it, and leaned further into her body to deepen the kiss. Morgan parted her lips with a quiet gasp, accepting his request for entrance. Their tongues met gracefully, stealing Morgan's breath in how perfect it was- nothing like the harsh, demanding kiss he had pulled from her before. This was different.

Loki slowly lowered his body onto hers, and she could clearly feel the heat radiating off of him. She reached up a hand to tangle in his hair as they kissed, reveling in how silky it was. Slowly the kiss became more heated, with Loki exploring her body with his hands and coaxing small moans from Morgan's lips.

Loki broke the kiss to begin trailing light kisses over her cheekbones and jaw line. She leaned into him, enjoying the care he was putting into his ministrations. Using the hand against his head she gently maneuvered him up to eye level and pecked him swiftly on the lips. She pulled back to stare into his eyes, bright with what she was sure was affection- as were her own.

She stroked her hand down the side of his face, causing him to smile beautifully for her. He turned his head to kiss her palm. Morgan didn't miss the hint of tongue he added, an air of mischief entering his eyes and smile. He grew bolder, tongue snaking out to lave against her palm and fingers. Morgan's mouth went dry and she could feel the heat that had been gradually building in her belly flare up at the sight.

Loki took pity on her and returned his mouth to hers, a place she was growing to believe it belonged. He was more insistent this time, mouth pushing at hers eagerly, and she responded in kind. She began to feel his arousal pressing into her hip, and it turned her on more than she wanted to admit- feeling him excited and knowing that it was all  _for her._

She broke the kiss and looked up into his eyes, half lidded now with pleasure, and shifted her hips against him. His eyes flew open at her in surprise, and she smiled cheekily at him before he returned to attack her mouth, whispering "Well, if that's how you want to play it…" And  _oh_  how she did.

He ground down against her as her legs parted, creating a space for him. This was something Morgan knew, something she had wanted before he first kissed her and made her realize it. She wanted to feel his power, his body moving against her and bringing her pleasure as he saw fit.

Loki broke the kiss to stare down at her with something akin to awe, murmuring "You are so beautiful" against her lips. "And you," she returned, arching up against his wandering hands that had begun to undo her shirt, "are unlike anything I could have ever expected." After tugging her shirt off and unclasping her bra, pulling it down her arms and tossing it somewhere in the room, he chuckled against her bare skin, "is that a good thing?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Most definitely," she added, his mouth latching on to one of her nipples to torment it. She shuddered at the sensation, pleasure shooting through her. Wanting to touch him in return, she sat up and tugged at his hem. Loki got the picture and abandoned his exploration of her breasts to begin shedding clothing, beginning with his shirt.

As his chest was revealed, Morgan reached out a hand to trail down his muscles and take in the glorious view presented to her.  _The physique of a god… how fitting._ As her hand reached the hem of his pants she looked up to see his eyes almost black with lust. Just that sight alone was enough to make her insides quiver and her arousal spike. Slowly, she removed his pants and boxers, reveling in every inch of skin exposed. When he had been teased enough, Loki quickly shook off his remaining clothes and practically ripped off hers, all finesse shredded in the wake of his desire.

He was a man possessed, tired of waiting for what he wants. And Morgan could deny him nothing. She opened before him as she had for no one else before, and probably never would again. That was a terrifying thought for someone so used to being alone. But she could not be convinced to care, not under Loki's onslaught of her senses and emotions.

Her vision went blurry as he slowly pushed into her.  _Damn, it's been a while._ But he made it easy, stroking her face and lessening her discomfort. She had been keeping a tight rein on her mental shields, but now she could feel them slipping. Loki's mind instantly searched for hers, soothing her aches from her exertions at the ambush and stoking the fire that had been building for him at the same time. He looked at her like she was something precious, that he never wanted to let get away. And for once in her life, Morgan had no intention of running.

Their minds and tongues tangled, a battle neither of them wanted to win. Loki's thrusts grew erratic the closer he got to climax, and he worked with his fingers and rhythm to make her meet him at the finish. His pleasure was on a feedback loop in her mind, joining with hers and bringing them both higher and higher. Her moans increased in pitch and volume, Loki's name echoing through the room from the sounds she made. Finally, Morgan's orgasm crashed over her like a tidal wave that dragged her lover along with it.

They rode out the aftershocks together with slow kisses and wandering hands, Loki keeping one hand on her face and an anchor in her mind as they came back down to earth. She smiled softly at him, blissful and with no regrets. Morgan opened her mouth to speak, wanting to thank him and say something else she probably shouldn't be thinking this early in the game, but he quieted her with a kiss and a hand smoothing over her lower back. She shuddered at the sensation before slipping into a light post-coital sleep, a gentle smile and the taste of him on her lips.

* * *

Morgan awoke alone, with the smell of food and coffee wafting in through her door. She grinned. Loki was making her breakfast again, and she had to take a moment to realize that it had been less than a week ago when he had shockingly kissed her and made her breakfast in only sweatpants.  _Oh how quickly time passes._ All the tension that had been building had culminated in last night's activities, and she was excited to find out what was going to happen next.

She got up, enjoying her soreness in all the right places and pulling on a night robe. She walked lightly down her hallway, reaching out to brush lightly against Loki's mind and telling him that she was awake. She had the feeling he already knew, judging by the full length of naked, gorgeous Loki crowding her against the wall and kissing her a vigorous hello.

As hungry as she was, there was no way she was going to turn him down. She hopped up to wrap her legs around her lover as he picked her up and carried her into the kitchen, setting her down gently on the counter and kissing her the whole way.

She hummed "Well good morning to you too," against his lips when he pulled back enough to allow her a moment to breathe.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked, grinning. "You exerted yourself quite beautifully at the little skirmish the other day. And," he added with a lascivious kiss, "last night."

She chuckled, before replying "A little sore, but good." And she was. For the first time in a long time, Morgan felt  _great._ She had a breathtaking god living with her, who was not out to exhort her, believed in her abilities, and was an excellent lover. And he made her happy. Happier than she had ever been.

* * *

And so they slipped into an almost honeymoon-like dynamic, happy and flirty and even blissful. Morgan was having sex more than she could ever remember, she was writing more, and Loki was even beginning to show her his magic- which was  _unbelievably_ hot. The first time he completely destroyed her living room and restored it completely with a snap, she threw him down and fucked him right there on her couch. And let's not even get into how it could be used during sex.

But the real magic was in how he would fall asleep against her on the couch or come up and hold her, a hand against her back to anchor her when she was plagued by memories. It was how she could see him letting go of some of his resentment and anger at his brother, enough even to tell her about some of their exploits throughout the realm.

They exchanged memories out loud, long having decided to keep the mind-invading actions to a minimum. She told him of the years she spent running, and of the family who rejected her. He told her of the pain finding out his true parentage and the conflict with his brother that had ended so tragically.

They learned each other's rhythms, their angers and fears and pleasures. And Morgan wouldn't have traded that for anything in the world. There was finally someone who understood her, and whom she understood. They were both angry and broken, but through each other had reached a twisted form of peace- laced with affection and some really fantastic sex.


End file.
